Pieter du Preez won the race in 2:22.33 in the T51 category, finally breaking a 27-year T51 marathon world record
Wheelchair racing and para-cycling champion Pieter ‘Supa Piet’du Preez with his family in Japan after the Oita Marathon. Picture: Pieter du Preez/ Instagram.
JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s Pieter “Supa Piet” du Preez has won his 6th consecutive Oita International Wheelchair Marathon.
The quadriplegic won Sunday’s race in 2:22.33 in the T51 category – finally breaking a 27-year T51 marathon world record, which was held by Germany’s Heinrich Koberle with a time of 2:23:08.
READ: Paralympic gold medallist Pieter du Preez wins 5th Oita Marathon title
Supa Piet is a decorated athlete.
He was the first quadriplegic in the world to take part in and complete the Ironman triathlon in 2013.
He also won the silver medal in the men’s H1 Time Trial race and a bronze medal in the Road Race at the Para-cycling World Championships in Baie-Comeau, Canada in August.
READ: Supa Piet set to defend his para-cycling world championships title
He also won the gold medal in the men’s H1 cycling time trial at the Tokyo Paralympic Games last year.
The actuarial analyst at Deloitte South Africa took part in the Para-cycling National Championships earlier this year, where he retained his national championship title.
Supa Piet who was nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards in 2016, has won the Berlin Marathon more than six times and is a multiple African and world record holder, a world champion, with only 15% of the muscle function of an able-bodied person – due to a cycling accident in 2003.
READ: SA’s Supa Piet wins time trial silver medal at UCI Para-cycling World Champs
We are behind our very own Paralympic champion Pieter du Preez who will be competing at the UCI Para-cycling World Championships in Baie-Comeau, Canada today and tomorrow. Let’s cheer him on! Stream live the action here https://t.co/XEPs2KivPU#DeloitteProud pic.twitter.com/bFe4yA0rop
Deloitte SA (@DeloitteSA) August 12, 2022
With his eyesight deteriorating, du Preez has aspirations of heading to Paris for the Paralympic Games in 2024.
The Oita International Wheelchair Marathon was the world’s first international marathon solely for wheelchair users.
The inaugural event took place in 1981 at the suggestion of Dr. Yutaka Nakamura, founder of the Taiyo-no-Ie welfare facility and specialist in medical care for the disabled, to mark the International Year of Disabled Persons.
READ MORE: Fifth time’s the charm for Paralympian du Preez after SA Sports Award win
The #LionsCricket family would like to congratulate Paralympian Pieter du Preez who won South Africas third gold medal at #Tokyo2020
Pieter, you continue to inspire us all! #Paralympics #ParaCycling pic.twitter.com/IL1N7soAD7
Lions Cricket News (@LionsCricNews) August 31, 2021
At present, it is an official World Para Athletics event, and has grown into one of the leading marathons in the world, attracting the world’s best athletes.
Japanese Imperial Family members, including Emperor Naruhito, and former Emperor Akihito and former Empress Michiko, now holding the titles of Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita, often watch the event.
We are excited to announce Paul Lewis and Pieter du Preez as speakers for this year’s annual ASABA Conference.#asabaannualconference #payingitforward#actuaries pic.twitter.com/bl9nHO2dHa
ASABA (@ASABActuaries) August 11, 2022
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